1. Field of the Invention
My invention relates generally to the field of treating water to reduce the population of a wide spectrum of diverse species of microorganisms, especially ship ballast water, containing a generalized and diverse species population of potentially undesirable organisms, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for treating such water to kill potentially undesirable aerobic and/or anaerobic microorganisms in the water to prevent, in the case of ballast water, them from being transported from one coastal area to another.
2. Basic Conditions and Vocabulary
Oceangoing ships may transport various organisms contained in their ballast water from any port in the world to any other port in the world. Macroorganisms can be filtered out, and the remaining microorganisms can be of extremely diverse natures due to their diverse origins, and by extension in any water source. The term colony forming unit (CFU) is often used to describe any microorganism that reproduces. Thus, unless otherwise modified, the terms, CFU and microorganism, shall have the same meaning. Levels of dissolved oxygen in a ship's ballast water play a part in my invention, and the abbreviation, DO, will be used to connote such dissolved oxygen.